Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine 1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine

Refined work

This following exercise gives a more detailed seg-

mental mobilization of the lumbar spine by slightly

reversing the movement described above. This move-

ment is repeated, and 1–2 further lumbar segments

are lowered in addition.

1. Sit with your hips and knees bent, with the
   soles of your feet on the floor.


2. Lean back on your hands, then on your elbows;
   stay on your elbows until point 9.


3. Tilting your pelvis backwards, lower the back of
   your pelvis onto the floor as you exhale.


4. Slightly tilt your pelvis forwards to lift the back
   of your pelvis off the floor as you inhale.


5. Exhaling again, bring the back of your pelvis and
   the lower 1–2 segments of your lumbar spine on
   the floor, elbows sliding apart if necessary to stay
   comfortable in the shoulders.


6. Inhaling, bring these segments and the back of
   the pelvis slightly off the floor; the buttocks stay
   on the floor.


7. Exhaling, bring these areas and 1–2 further lumbar
   segments down to the floor again, one by one.


8. Inhaling, reverse this movement to the neutral
   lumbopelvic position.


9. With another exhalation, bring the back of your
   pelvis and the whole lumbar spine down to the
   floor using this segmental movement.


10. To finish lie on your back with your abdomen
    and lumbar area soft and rest for a few breaths.


11. Perform points 1–10 once or twice.

Exercise 1.7: Roll the back on a

chair

Aim: mobilizing the lumbar spine into flexion.

1. Sit on a chair with a straight back rest, with
   the soles of your feet firmly on the floor
   (Figure 6.11).


2. As far as possible your back is in contact with the
   back of the chair or a wall.


3. Breathe in and lengthen your spine.
   4. Breathing out, bend your head forward,
   then one segment of your spine after the
   other; this will need a few breaths (Figure
   6.12).
   5. Pay particular attention to removing one lumbar
   segment after the other from the back of the
   chair or the wall.
   6. Rest on your thighs for a few breaths; use
   a pillow or rolled blanket on your thighs if
   necessary. Breathing in, lengthen your spine
   (Figure 6.13).

Figure 6.11